Attachment for steering mechanism of automobiles



Jam 17 1 924. 1

s. H. COLE news-1' FOR srsaama uscamnu or'fwwouoaxws Original" Fi led April 2:. $521 2- Sheets-Sheet 1 3 j? W/TNEJJEJ. 5 H CO/Q INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

June 17 1924. 1,498,525 5. H. (:01;

ATTACHMENT FOR STEERING MECHANISM OF AUTOMOBILES Original Filed April 23. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 H ("O/e WITNE55E'3 INVENTOR.

BY W ATTORNEY.

Patented June 17, 1924.

SHERMAN H. COLE. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT FO'R STEERING MECHANISM OF AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed April 23, 1921, Serial No. 463,927. Renewed December 6, 1923.

T all whom 2'2? may concern.

Be it known that I, SHERMAN H. Conn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachment-s for Steering Mechanism of Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an attachment for the steering mechanism of an automobile and has for its principal object the production of means for normally retaining the steering mechanism in a position so that the automobile will travel straight ahead without the aid of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the return movement of the actuating arms will be met with a cushioned effect to avoid a certain jar and disagreeable pounding as the arm reaches its normal position parallel with its supporting p Another object of the invention is to provide means of this nature which may be placed entirely back of the forward axletree.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple means for locking the steering mechanism so that the same may not be operated by an unauthorized person.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve upon devices of this character by providing a device which will be extremely simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, one which is efficient and reliable in operation and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and numerous objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as Will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed. v

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4 1 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing by numerals it will be seen that 1 designates the forward axletree of an automobile which pivotally carries in any suitable and well known manner the steering knuckles 2 which consist of the guiding arms 3 and stub axles 4. Pivotally connected to the ends of the guiding arms 3 is the usual actuating bar 5.

A supporting base plate 6 is mounted upon the upper side of the axletree 1 and is held in position by means of the bolts 7 and clamp plate 8. It Will be noted that these bolts 7 pass by the forward side of the axletree 1 and that a vertical plate 9 which is attached to the supporting base plate 6 in any suitable manner passes alongside the rear side of the axletree 1 and is curved at its central portion so as to accommodate the bolt 10 which is also held in engagement with the clamp plate 8 as is clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. This bolt 10 pivotally holds the arm 11 upon the supporting base plate 6 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A depending bolt 12 is fixedly attached to the supporting base plate 6 in any suitable manner and is situated to the rear of the axletree 1 and is provided with a transverse aperture for receiving the cotter pin 13 for supporting the washer 14. Situated upon this washer 14 and around the bolt 12 is a coil spring 15 having its terminals extending rearwardly and parallel to each other so as to form the buffer arms 16 which extend a spaced dis tance beyond the actuating bar 5 as is clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. It will be understood that this coil spring 15 normally has a tendency to separate the buffer arms 16 since the spring will normally unwind. Inorder to hold these bufier arms parallel with each other the rear end of the supporting base plate 6 is bifurcated and these bifurcated portions are bent downwardly so'as to form the stop lips 17 as more clearly shown in Figure .4 of the drawing.

In Figure 2 of the drawing it will be noted thata bar :20 is held upon the forward side of the actuating bar 5 by means of the clamps 21 and 22. Intermediate the ends of this bar 20, as is shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, there is fixedly attachedaplate 22' having the upwardly extending portion 23 and a downwardly extending portion 2 1.

These portions 23 and 24 have their inner ends bent over upon themselves as shown at 25 in Figure 2 of the drawing soas to form buffer which engage the buffer arms 16. By referring to Figure 2 of the drawing it will be noted that when the actuating bar 5 is moved toward the right the lower buffer member 24 will engage the buffer arms 16 and pull same in a like direction and that when this actuating bar 5 is released the coil spring will have. a tendency to return the buffer arms 16 into engagement with the stop lips 17 and thus will normally return the actuating bar to its original position that is so that the steering knuckles 2 will be in a position to allow the vehicle to travel straight ahead in a Well known manner. It will also be noted that the upper buffer arm will have a cushioned effect upon the return movement when the upper buffer member 25 engages same.

The forward portion of the supporting base plate 6 is provided with a plurality of apertures 26 which will register with the aperture 27 provided in the end of the rod ll when same is moved upon the pivot provided by the bolt 10. It will be noted that this rod 11 terminates a relatively short distance forward of the actuating bar 5 and is pivotally connected to the link 28. The clamp 22 which aids in holding the bar 20 in place is provided with a forwardly extending lip 29 to which is pivotally attached the other end of the link 28 and thus it will be seen that when the actuating bar 5 is moved the rod 11 will be pivoted through the link 28 and clamp 22. l/Vhen the automobile forward wheels are posi tioned so as to take a straight-away course the bar 11 is situated so as to be over the central longitudinal line of the base supporting plate 6 and the aperture 27 will register with an aperture 26 so that the. shackle of an ordinary padlock 30 may be passed therethrough and thus the steering mechanism will be securely locked so that the automobile may only go in a forward or straight direction. It will also be noted that the steering mechanism may be operated so that the aperture 27 will register with one of the other apertures 26 and the shackle of the padlock 30 pass therethrough and thus the wheels of the vehicle may be turned so as to go toward the curve should the automobile be moved and thus the vehicle will be securely locked so as to practically prevent unauthorized. use thereof.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood without a more extended explanation. [is numerous changes in form, proportion, and in the minor details of construction may be re sorted to without departing from the spirit of this inventioml do not wish to be limited to the construction herein shown and (le scribed other than as claimed.

Having thus described my invention win: l claim as new is 1. In a device of the class described, a supporting base plate, means for securing the same to the axletree of a vehicle, an unwinding coil spring carried by the base plate, buffer arms integrally extending from the terminals of the coil spring, depending spaced apart stop lips extending from the base plate so as to normally hold said buffer arms parallel to each other and buffer plates carried by the actuating bar of a vehicle so as to engage the buffer arms In a device of the class described, a supporting base plate, means for securing the same to the axletree of a vehicle, butter arms extending from the base plate, means provided on the base plate for normally holding said buffer arms separated from each other and means for normally holding said buffer arms parallel to each other, a plate carried on the actuating bar of a vehicle and having right angularly extend ing portions at each end thereof, said right angularly extending portions being curved so as to form buffer members for engaging the buffer arms.

3. In a device of the class described, a supporting base plate, means for securing the same to the axletree of a vehicle, coil spring carried by the base plate, buffer arms integrally extending from the terminals of the coil spring, and a plate carried on the actuating bar of a vehicle, said plate provided with right angularly extending portions having their inner ends curved so as to form buffer members for engaging the buffer arms.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' SHERMAN H, COLE,

Witneses:

CARL SENGELAUB, K. A. FITZGERALD. 

